B.C. Mounties launch their 'Show Me Your' campaign to battle sextortion

Sextortion cases on the rise

Photo: BCRCMP

Cases of online exploitation and extortion of youth are on the rise and, in turn, the RCMP is launching a campaign aimed at sparking conversations that will help young people stay safe.

Cases of online exploitation and extortion of youth are on the rise in BC. and, in turn, Mounties are launching a campaign aimed at sparking conversations that will help young people stay safe.

A campaign dubbed “Show me your” has been launched, using attention-grabbing imagery and symbols familiar to youth to break through the silence surrounding sextortion, RCMP said in a media release.

“Online child exploitation is a profound violation of trust and safety,” Staff Sgt. Natalie Davis, unit commander of the BC RCMP integrated child exploitation unit said in a media release.

The goal of the campaign is to get people talking because open communication and education are essential to prevention, and no image, mistake, or moment of pressure is ever worth a young person feeling like there is no way out.

“Children need to know they are never to blame,” Davis said.

“If something goes wrong online, we want them and their caregivers to feel safe coming forward.”

Police said that investigators have seen lives lost because victims felt alone, ashamed, or too afraid to reach out.

"One life lost to sextortion is too many. We want young people, and the adults who support them, to know that help is always available. You are not alone, and nothing is worth your life," RCMP said.

RCMP said that sextortion often begins with online luring, grooming, or impersonation, and offenders increasingly use social media, gaming platforms, and messaging apps to target youth.

Warning signs can include sudden changes in mood or behaviour, secretive online activity, or unexplained requests for money or gift cards.

If a young person has already shared images, they should know that many others have been in the same situation and that tools and resources exist to help get images removed.

Safer Internet Day encourages families, educators, tech companies, and governments to work together to reduce online risks. Locally, the BC RCMP Integrated Child Exploitation Unit says it continues to see increases in online luring, sextortion and distribution of child sexual abuse.